Finger ring having bottom inner keyway



y 968 J. H. VON HOLLEN 3,385,079

FINGER RING HAVING BOTTOM INNER KEYWAY Filed Dec. 15, 1965 /6 INVENTOR WfTORNl- United States Patent ice 3,385,679 FINGER RING HAVING BUTTOM INNER KEYWAY John H. von Hoilen, R0. Box 185, Cedar Grove, NJ. 07009 Filed Dec. 15, 1965, Ser. No. 513,926 4 Claims. (Cl. 63-45) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A ring having an internal surface contour which more closely approximates the cross-sectional shape of the finger than conventional circular rings and which also includes a bridge section with a recess therein for accommodating the tendons and flesh on the underside of the finger, whereby rotation of the ring on the finger is effectively prevented.

This invention relates to finger rings and is particularly applicable to rings of the type which are provided with a decorative element which it is desired to maintain in a proper position on the finger.

It is common knowledge that rings having a decorative or ornamental element have a tendency to slip around on the finger. In such a position the ring does not present the best appearance and, of course, may also be uncomfortable. Various workers in the art have from time to time devised arrangements for preventing rotation of the ring on the finger, however, none of these has proven to be entirely satisfactory.

It is also well known that most people have knuckle joints which are larger in cross section than the cross section of the finger at the point where the ring is worn. Since the ring must be passed over this joint to reach the point at which it is worn, the size of this joint usually establishes the minimum size of a conventional ring. Since the human finger is relatively incompressible at this joint, and rings are rigid and non-elastic, only a slight force is required to remove most conventional rings from the finger. When the finger is moistened with soapy water, such as while washing dishes or bathing, or merely with water or perspiration such as when swimming, playing tennis, etc. this force is still further reduced. In this lubricated condition, the centrifugal force generated by movement of the hand is often sufiicient to force the ring off the finger, and many rings are thus lost. At present, the only means of preventing accidental ioss under these circumstances is to employ a flexible ring guard insert or other mechanical device with such conventional shaped ring. However, aside from being an additional expense, such devices are unsanitary in that the additional assembly creates crevices and/ or joints in which dirt accumulates.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to eliminate the possibility of ring loss by means of a novel one-piece ring construction that requires a greater force to remove the same from the finger.

Another object of the invention is to provide a ring of the type referred to immediately above which is so made as to be devoid of the various dirt collecting crevices of prior art ring retention devices.

A further object of the invention is to provide a onepiece ring construction which will maintain a decorative element on the ring in the proper position for best appearance and comfort.

3,385,079 Patented May 28, 1968 All of the objects, features and advantages of this invention and the manner of attaining them will become more apparent and the invention itself will be best understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a view of a ring construction in accordance with this invention,

FIG. 2 is a view of a portion of the internal surface of the ring of FIG. 1, taken along the line 22 thereof.

FIG. 3 is a view of a portion of the internal surface of the ring of FIG. 1, taken along the line 33 thereof,

FIG. 4 shows a comparison between the internal surface contour of the embodiment of the ring of FIG. 1 with the internal surface contour of a common ring of generally circular design,

FIG. 5A shows the ring of the invention positioned on the third finger,

FIG. 5B shows another view of the ring finger seen in FIG. 5A and illustrating various tendons therein and their relation to the ring,

FIG. 6 shows a further embodiment of the invention, and

FIG. 7 shows a view of a portion of the internal surface of the ring of FIG. 6, taken along the line 7--7 thereof.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, there is shown one form of ring constructed according to the invention. This ring is illustrated as one having a planar top surface 12 which may carry a letter inscription or other decoration as desired. The internal curvature of the ring is provided with a unique shape to accomplish the objects of the invention as will appear. The upper portion 13 of the ring is provided with an internal surface 14 of generally circular shape. The sides 16 of the ring are also provided with generally curved internal surfaces, these sides cooperating with the upper portion 13- to form an inverted, generally U-shaped member, which is connected to a bottom portion of the ring, as will appear.

The bottom portion of the ring comprises a bridge section 18. This bridge section 18 includes two end portions 20 which cooperate with the sides or legs 16 on the U-shaped portion and which have a recess 22 formed therebetween. The internal surface junction of the end portions 20 with their respective associated sides 16 is most desirably formed with a relatively small radius of curvature. The length of the recess 22 is not critical, however, I have determined that best results are produced when its length is made approximately one-quarter to one-half of the total internal width W1 at the bottom of the ring.

The overall shape of the ring internal contour is made to conform more closely to the shape of the knuckle than the more purely circular ring very commonly used. This can be best appreciated from FIG. 4, from which it will be seen that the horizontal internal dimension W2 is greater than the vertical internal dimension H measured between the inner surface at the top of the ring and the top surface of the bridge member 18. The internal shape of the ring thus conforms more closely to the finger since the hinged joint which comprises the knuckle is generally wider than it is high, when viewed in cross section. From FIG. 4 it will be further appreciated that the total length of the inner peripheral surface of the ring constructed in accordance with the invention is very close to that of the internal peripheral surface of a conventional circular ring represented by the numeral 23 having a radius which conforms to the internal curvature of the upper portion 13 of the present ring. The points of departure of the internal surface of the ring of the invention from that of the ring 23 of more purely circular contour are indicated in FIG. 4 by the numerals 24 and 26. It is to be observed that the internal surface of the recess 22 in the bottom portion of the ring is most desirably coincident with the internal surface of the more purely circular ring 23. The ring of the invention however, does have such a configuration that, despite the somewhat irregular internal surface of the bridge member 13, there is no interference with the normal circulation of blood in the finger.

FIGS. 5A and 5B show the ring of the invention on the third finger. The recess 22 at the bottom of the ring is of such a size as to accommodate the relatively incompressible flex-or profundis digitorum tendon 21 in the underside 28 of the finger, as the ring is slipped over the knuckle 30. Also, the ring is of a size such that, without the recess 22 therein, it could not pass over the knuckle, except perhaps with extreme difiiculty. In other words, the recess 22 permits passage over the knuckle of a ring smaller than a ring without the recess but otherwise identical. As a result, a ring provided with a recess in accordance with the invention, will fit more snugly at the point on the finger where the ring is worn and it will also be impossible to remove the ring from the finger without considerably greater effort than would be required to remove a ring of conventional circular construction.

Further, after the ring is slipped on the finger up to the point where it is worn, the recess 22 accommodates both the fiexor sublimis digitorum tendon 27 and the flexor profundis digitorum tendon 21, as seen in FIG. 5B. At the point where the ring is worn these two tendons are in close proximity to each other under the flesh pad at the bottom 28 of the finger. In the position where it is normally worn, a ring constructed in accordance with the invention effectively resists rotation on the finger because the recess 22, in conjunction with the bottom end portions adjacent thereto, acts as a keyway into which the relatively incompressible mass formed by the fiexor sublimis digitorum and the flexor profundis digitorum tendons reside. This is made possible by the ring being provided with a smaller internal height H than width W2 as already described, since with the mere provision of a recess in a conventional circular ring, the recess would not be positioned closely enough to these tendons to result in any satisfactory keyway effect, and thus such ring would not be satisfactorily restrained against rotation.

The inner peripheral surface of the ring of this invention is designed to have the smallest dimension that will allow the ring to pass over the knuckle 30 of the finger. This insures the most effective keyway action at the point where the ring is worn. Such keyway action is further enhanced because the cross section of the finger will be larger from top to bottom than the ring at the point where it is worn.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show the ring of the invention provided with an additional recess 32 at the top of the ring in the internal surface thereof. This well or recess 32 is not necessary to achieve the advantages which fiow from my invention, however, it may be usefully employed to more easily slip the ring on and off the finger. As will be appreciated, the recess 32 serves as a well to accommodate the flesh on the upper part of the finger around the knuckle 30 thereby allowing easier passage of the ring over the knuckle. This recess 32, however, is of substantially smaller depth than the recess 22 at the bottom of the ring and accordingly does not mitigate the tendency of the ring to remain in the proper position. In fact, the existence of the recess 32 aids in maintaining the ring in its proper position since a small portion of the flesh at the top of the finger will also reside therein so that an anchor means is also provided at the top of the ring. As will be appreciated, the recess 32 is preferably, but not necessarily, of spherical contour and is most desirably made so as to be invisible when the ring is on the finger. Also the radius of curvature of the recess 32, when of spherical contour, is of course, substantially smaller than the radius of curvature of the upper inner surface 14, and preferably approximately one half the size of this latter radius.

A ring constructed in accordance with this invention provides a number of advantages. Thus, as will be appreciated from the above, proper alignment of the decorative element portion of the ring at the top of the finger is maintained by preventing rotation thereof. More importantly, however, the loss of the ring from the finger during participation in sports and other strenuous activities, or when the skin of the finger is slippery, as in bathing is now positively prevented, Furthermore, injury to the finger is also prevented because the inner ring contour conforms more closely to the natural shape of the finger and is fairly snug, so that the ring cannot now be hooked or snagged by machinery or other means, as is the case with conventional rings.

While the foregoing description sets forth the principles of the invention in connection with specific apparatus, it is to be understood that the description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation of the scope of the invention as set forth in the objects thereof and in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A finger ring comprising an upper portion having an internal surface of generally circular contour,

a bottom bridge section located opposite said upper portion, said bridge section having a recess therein, said recess forming a keyway to provide a situs for a portion of the flesh and tendons on the bottom of the finger,

said recess further being located approximately midway between the ends of said bridge section,

opposed side members connecting said upper ring portion to said bridge section,

and the internal Width between said side members being of a greater dimension than the internal height between said upper portion and said bridge section, whereby rotation of the ring on said finger and ac: cidental removal of said ring from said finger are inhibited.

2. The invention described in claim 1 wherein said recess extends entirely through said bridge section from one edge to the other, said recess further extending along the length of said bridge section for a distance approximately A to /2 that of the width of said ring between the sides thereof.

3. The invention described in claim 1 which further includes a second recess, said latter recess being located in the inner surface of said upper portion, said latter recess further having a location and a size as to be invisible when the ring is worn upon the finger.

4. A finger ring comprising an upper portion having decorative element accommodating means on the external surface thereof, the internal surface of said upper portion having a generally circular contour,

a bottom bridge section located opposite said upper portion, said bridge section having a recess located generally midway between the ends thereof, said recess extending through said bridge section from the front to the back thereof,

opposed leg members connecting said upper ring portion to said bridge section and forming the sides of said ring,

the internal width between said sides being of a greater dimension than the internal height between said up- 3,385,079 5 6 per portion and said bridge section so that the general References Cited internal shape of said ring conforms more closely to the shape of the finger than the more purely circular UNITED STATES PATENTS contour of conventional rings, 152,789 7/1874 Annin 63-155 and said recess cooperating with the adjacent portions 5 of said bridge section to form a keyway, whereby the FOREIGN PATENTS ring is maintained on the finger substantially in a pre- 474,313 6/1951 Canada.

selected position so that the decorative element on said accommodating means is presented at the top F BARRY SHAY E of the finger at all times and so that accidental re- 10 "mary xammel' moval of said ring from said finger is effectively pre- LOUIS G. MANCENE, Examiner. vented. 

